Developed by Dr. Richard Schwartz in the late 1980’s, Internal Family Systems (IFS) is a psychotherapy modality rapidly growing in popularity. As an outgrowth of his work studying family systems therapy and working with patients struggling with severe eating disorders, Schwartz noticed that his clients spoke about their inner conflict in terms of “parts” of themselves guiding their troubling behaviors and inner conflicts.
Integrating his knowledge of family systems, as well as the work of Carl Jung and other pioneers in psychotherapy, Schwartz created the IFS model which embraces the notion that our personalities are actually composed of a symphony of different parts, as well as a core, boundless source of energy that both Jung and Schwartz deemed “the Self”.
IFS, a non-pathologizing form of psychotherapy, and embraces the many parts of us as natural facets of the psyche - aspects of ourselves which yearn to be known, understood, and healed.
IFS therapy is also a fantastic modality for psychedelic integration work, as psychedelic experiences can often unlock or reveal parts of us that we might be unfamiliar with, scared of, or empowered by.